Quailfinches drink from a thornscrub rain pool. Photo: Brian Finch
The vast expanses of East Africa have long been part of every traveler’s dreams, a land of rolling grasslands dotted with acacia trees, mountains such as Kilimanjaro rising above the limitless horizons, and riverine forests harboring colorful birds and troops of monkeys. Of course the large mammals of the East African plains are readily summoned to mind, and it is a wonderful fact that by visiting Kenya it is still possible to see huge concentrations of animals along with, not incidentally, 500 or more species of birds.
The June tour concentrates on the African species that breed in the area in large numbers after good rains. Ngulia Lodge, with its wide-open vistas, is ideal for seeing the many species of raptors breeding on the cliffs and in large trees in the adjacent scrubby valleys. Whydahs, indigobirds, weavers, and sunbirds should be in their attractive breeding dress, and resident species will be vocal and visible in the early mornings.
November is the time for Palearctic migrants, which pass through in vast numbers on their southbound passage. Our November tour is designed to take full advantage of this annual phenomenon, and particularly if the banding operation is underway, we’ll have an opportunity to see many secretive and similar species at close quarters. Of course we won’t overlook the showy residents, either, and we’ll spend most of our time seeking out the area’s many specialties.
Kakamega Pre-Tour (June tours only)
Day 1: The Kakamega pre-tour extension begins at noon in Nairobi. We’ll fly from Nairobi to Kisumu on Lake Victoria, then transfer to Kakamega Forest and the incomparable Rondo Retreat, where Great Blue Turacos breed in a large tree on the front lawn and White-spotted Flufftails live by the fish ponds. Many of the huge list of resident birds are easier to see here than in the forest, and we’ll be looking for Gray Parrot, Snowy-headed and Gray-winged Robin-Chats, Mackinnon’s Fiscal and Vieillot’s Black Weaver. And we could hardly fail to notice such large and showy birds as Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Yellow-billed Barbet and Red-headed Bluebill. Night at Rondo Retreat.
Day 2: Nearly eighty species in Kakamega and the nearby Nandi Forest occur nowhere else in Kenya. Even with just one full day here, we’ll make a good dent in the list. Skulkers such as White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Equatorial Akalat and four species of Illadopsis require extra effort as they hide in the deep recesses of the scrub. Other species are flamboyant and easily seen, including White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Dark-backed and Black-billed Weavers and Green, Green-throated and Green-headed Sunbirds, along with a number of more somberly colored but no less interesting species. We’ll probably have a picnic lunch to make the most of our full day here. Night at Rondo Retreat.
Day 3: After a final morning in Kakamega, we’ll take our picnic lunch and head for the Busia grasslands. We’ll be looking for a dazzling array of birds in the forest at Kakamega, from trogons to hylias and from bee-eaters to honeyguides. Leaving Kakamega, we’ll stop at a bridge that is the only known Kenyan site for Rock Pratincole; we may also find glowing Red-chested Sunbirds and rainbow-colored Yellow-backed Weavers here, and perhaps a Yellow-shouldered or Fan-tailed Widowbird. Continuing to the relict scrub and grasslands, we’ll look for such local species as Senegal Coucal, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Red-headed Lovebird, Swamp Nightjar, Green Crombec, Compact Weaver and the skulking Locust Finch. Night in Busia.
Day 4: This morning we’ll search the Busia grasslands for species we might not have found the day before. Hoped-for species include White-crested Turaco, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Marsh Tchagra, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Purple Starling, Olive-bellied and Copper Sunbirds, Black-winged and Black Bishops, Marsh Widowbird, Brown Twinspot, Bar-breasted Firefinch and Fawn-bellied Waxbill. After lunch we’ll descend to Kisumu for our first look at the birds of Lake Victoria. Night at Dunga Point.
Day 5: In the morning we’ll search the nearby papyrus swamp and lake edge for Open-billed Stork, African Hobby, Banded Snake-Eagle, Eastern Gray Plantain-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonoleks, Black-lored Babbler, Carruthers’s Cisticola, White-winged and Greater Swamp Warblers, Swamp Flycatcher, Slender-billed and Northern Brown-throated Weavers, and Papyrus Canary. In the afternoon we’ll catch a flight to Nairobi, where we will spend the night.
Main Tour
Day 6 (June 13, Nov. 14): The tour begins at noon in Nairobi. After lunch, we’ll visit Nairobi National Park, where in the rolling acacia grassland we’ll see gazelles, giraffes, and possibly lions, as well as a heady array of birds: Ostrich, Secretarybird, Bateleur, Rattling Cisticola, Long-tailed Fiscal, and Red-billed Oxpecker, among many others. Night in Nairobi.
We took this trip because of Brian. We previously had him as our Madagascar trip leader and found him so wonderful; we knew we would take more trips with him. Brian and Edwin were marvelous leaders. Their knowledge about the birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies, and plants is just unmatched!! It astonishes me that someone could know so much. Their ability to find the birds was spectacular and they work very hard at getting everyone onto the bird. Edwin’s driving ability was so skilled and was greatly needed on the very difficult Kenya roads. Brian’s humor was fun and made the trip even better. Let us know what other trips Brain has planned because we would greatly look forward to traveling with him again.
Bridget Dunnigan, November 2011
Days 7-8: After breakfast we’ll drive to Tsavo National Park, where we’ll spend two nights at Ngulia Lodge, situated on a dramatic escarpment overlooking the vast expanse of Tsavo stretching out below. In June, we’ll take advantage of the vistas to watch the many species of raptors that breed on the cliffs and in the scrubby valleys below. The resident birds include such specialties as Black-headed Plover, five hornbills, Red-naped Bush-Shrike, Pringle’s Puffback, Golden-breasted Starling, and much more. The lodge has become particularly famous in recent years for the huge numbers of European and Asian migrants that pass through on their way south, and in November, we might find the bushes alive with Thrush Nightingales, Marsh Warblers, and Isabelline Shrikes, while careful searching usually reveals splendid male White-throated Robins and Barred, River, Olive-tree, Upcher’s, Olivaceous, and the enigmatic Basra Reed Warblers. Ngulia is also a great place for nightbirds, and during the day European Nightjars roost on the beams in the open-fronted restaurant before joining Plain, Dusky, and Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjars in hawking insects around the lodge. Away from the lodge, large migrating flocks of European Rollers can sometimes be found, often with one sitting on every bush, and the giant baobab trees can hold resting parties of Amur Falcons. Nights at Ngulia Safari Lodge.
Day 9: Today we’ll drive to Amboseli National Park, passing through open bush country with many passerines. In particular we’ll be looking out for Red-winged Lark, Bare-eyed Thrush, Black-bellied Sunbird, and Black-capped Social-Weaver. We may also see the graceful Gerenuk here. We’ll stay at Ol Tukai Lodge on the southeastern side of Amboseli National Park. On clear days, there is an impressive vista, with Mount Kilimanjaro the dominating backdrop. Colorful Lilac-breasted Rollers nest in the trees, and as dusk falls the car-alarm calls of Slender-tailed Nightjars fill the air. If we are fortunate, the extremely local Taveta Golden Weaver may be in residence, but its presence is directly related to the rains. Night at Ol Tukai Lodge.
Day 10: We’ll spend the day in Amboseli exploring the park’s open plains, lakes, and swamps. There will be an abundance of large mammals—giraffe, zebra, gazelles, Impala, Wildebeest, buffalo, and African Elephant. Among the plentiful birds, we may find Goliath Heron, Hottentot Teal, Gray Crowned-Crane, Two-banded Courser, and Pangani Longclaw. Night at Ol Tukai Lodge.
Day 11:This morning we’ll catch an early flight to Nairobi, connecting to Nanyuki on the slopes of Mt. Kenya. Here we’ll be picked up and driven to Mountain Lodge for lunch. Located in the heart of the Mount Kenya Forest Reserve, the lodge is a superb place, and the rooftop balcony overlooking a water hole is always delightful. Groups of Silvery-cheeked Hornbills and Bronze-naped Pi geons are common, and Crowned Eagles are regularly seen soaring over the trees. From the roof of the lodge we’ll look for Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Waller’s Starling, Rüppell’s Robin-Chat, White-starred Forest-Robin, Mountain Greenbul, Gray-headed Negro-finch, and White-browed Crombec, along with many other species. After dark, the waterhole attracts a variety of mammals, among them African Buffalo, Bushbuck, and the occasional Bushpig or Giant Forest Hog. Large Spotted Genet sometimes visits a floodlit feeding station, and if we’re lucky, a Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl will be in residence. Night at Mountain Lodge.
Day 12: After a delicious champagne breakfast we’ll set off for the day, joined again by our always marvelous driver from the first part of the trip. Entering Mt. Kenya National Park, if conditions are suitable we’ll climb the steep road to the Met Station, close to treeline and well into the bamboo zone. This is the habitat of several high-altitude East African and Kenyan endemics; Jackson’s Francolin is probably the most attractive of this large group, which also includes skulking Abyssinian Ground-Thrush and friendly Hill Chats. We’ll also be on the lookout for Mountain Yellow Warbler, Black-headed Waxbill, and several other species found in this rarefied atmosphere. After our picnic we’ll descend for more birding at Mountain Lodge. Night at Mountain Lodge.
Day 13: After another morning at Mountain Lodge, we’ll drive to Naro Moru River Lodge for lunch. The lodge is located on the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya, and although the forest here is only a remnant patch, birds are numerous. We should see Hartlaub’s Turaco, Crowned Hornbill, African Paradise Flycatcher, and up to eight species of sunbird among many others. Night at Naro Moru River Lodge.
Day 14: Today we’ll drive around the edge of the Aberdare Mountains, with a pause for resident Mackinder’s Eagle-Owls and a stop at the spectacular Thompson Falls, which sometimes offers the bonus of Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starlings. We’ll cross the Subukia Valley and drop down into the Great Rift Valley at Nakuru before driving north to Lake Baringo, looking for Dark Chanting-Goshawk and Silverbird along the way. Night at Baringo.
Day 15: Before breakfast we’ll visit nearby cliffs where Cliff Chat nests, and in the scrub along the escarpment’s edge we’ll look for Hemprich’s, Jackson’s, and Yellow-billed Hornbills, Brown-tailed Rock-Chat, and Bristle-crowned Starling. This is also a regular nesting site for a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles. The rest of the morning will be spent exploring the bird-rich habitats around Lake Baringo. After lunch we’ll drive south to Lake Nakuru National Park, where we’ll spend the next two nights. As we enter the park we’ll catch sight of the lake through its fringe of yellow-barked acacias and get our first glimpses of thousands of pink flamingos. Night at Lake Nukuru’s Lion Hill Lodge.
Day 16: We’ll spend the day birding around the lake, world-famous for its vast flocks of flamingos and its wealth of waterbirds. The acacia woodland around the lake is a fine example of this habitat, and we’ll look for such species as Narina Trogon, Red-throated Wryneck, Arrow-marked Babbler, and Red-headed Weaver. Hildebrandt’s Francolins wander the shaded tracks, and shy Tambourine Doves hurtle through the undergrowth. There is a good population of White Rhinoceros at Nakuru, and we’ll likely see one or more of these magnificent beasts grazing along the lakeshore. Water levels at the lake vary greatly, but under normal conditions dense flocks of thousands of Lesser Flamingos feed in the shallows, while doughnut-shaped rings of White Pelicans are scattered across the lake. This memorable sight is surely one of the natural wonders of the world. Night at Lion Hill Lodge.
Day 17: We’ll leave early for our drive to Masai Mara National Reserve. The first part of the journey will take us up to highland grasslands where we will look for two Kenya endemics, Aberdare Cisticola and Sharpe’s Longclaw. We continue climbing the Mau Escarpment and through the rich tea-growing region around Kericho. In patches of remnant forest here we’ll look for Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Black-collared Apalis, Banded Prinia, and Stuhlmann’s Starling, among others. Night at Kichwa Tembo Safari Camp.
Day 18: In many respects, the Mara is the most spectacular part of the trip, with its long views over flat-topped acacias and grassy plains filled with animals. We’ll spend the days driving in the reserve and should see most of the plains species for which East Africa is famous: Lion, Cheetah, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Topi, Thompson’s and Grant’s Gazelles, and many others. Birdwatching here will be delightful, and highlights should include Temminck’s Courser, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, and, with luck, Black-bellied Bustard. Night at Kichwa Tembo Safari Camp.
Day 19: After a morning in the western Mara, we’ll drive across the reserve to Siana Springs Lodge. Here we’ll have a rare opportunity for a night-time game-and-bird excursion, and we have a chance of meeting some of the more rarely seen mammals such as Civet, Porcupine, or White-tailed Mongoose. Birds could include Dusky and Square-tailed Nightjars, Spotted Thick-knee, and Heuglin’s Courser. Night at Siana Springs Lodge.
Day 20: This morning before breakfast we’ll visit a nearby valley, home to several species that are on the edge of their ranges in Kenya. The attractive pied Magpie Shrike with its liquid call is here, as well as the diminutive Tabora Cisticola. Other species include African Scimitarbill, Flappet Lark, Red-throated Tit, and the colorful Green-winged Pytilia. This afternoon we’ll fly back to Nairobi, where we will have time to prepare for a final dinner before catching our international flights home.
Updated: 16 December 2011
Prices
- 2012 Tour Price (June) : $8,000*
- Single Occupancy Supplement : $760
- With Kakamega Extension : $10,450
- Single Occupancy Supplement : $1,100
- 2012 Tour Price (Nov) : $8,350*
- Single Occupancy Supplement : $930
Notes
Maximum group size six with one WINGS leader and a driver guide.
Single rooms are limited at Kichwa Tembo Safari Camp. Participants may be required to share lodging during our two-night stay at the camp.
A Google map of our overnight locations can be seen here. Click on the placemarks beginning with Placemark 1 to move along the tour route.
* Tour invoices paid by check carry a modest discount. Details here.